MOE Sexuality Education

MOE Sexuality Education in Schools

1.Sexuality Education (SEd) in schools is about enabling students to understand the physiological, social and emotional changes they experience as they mature, develop healthy and rewarding relationships including those with members of the opposite sex, and make wise, informed and responsible decisions on sexuality matters. SEd is premised on the importance of the family as the basic unit of society. This means encouraging healthy, heterosexual marriages and stable nuclear family units with extended family support. The teaching and learning of SEd is based on respect for the values and beliefs of the different ethnic and religious communities in Singapore on sexuality issues.

2.The goals of Sexuality Education are to:

To help students make wise, responsible and informed decisions through the provision of accurate, current and age-appropriate knowledge on human sexuality and the consequences of sexual activity;

To help students know themselves and build healthy and rewarding relationships through the acquisition of social and emotional skills of self-awareness, management of their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, development of empathy for others, possession of effective communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills; and

To help students develop a moral compass, respect for themselves and for others as sexual beings, premised on the family as the basic unit of society, through the inculcation of positive mainstream values and attitudes about sexuality.

3.The key messages of Sexuality Education are:

Love and respect yourself as you love and respect others;

Build positive relationships based on love and respect (which are the foundation for strong families);

Make responsible decisions for yourself, your family and society; and

Abstinence before marriage is the best protection against STIs/HIV and unintended pregnancies. Casual sex can harm and hurt you and your loved ones.

Overview of ADMIRALTY SECONDARY SCHOOL Sexuality Education Programme for 2018

4.Sexuality Education is delivered in a holistic manner through the school curriculum. The content for Sexuality Education is grouped into five main themes: Human Development, Interpersonal Relationships, Sexual Health, Sexual Behaviour, and, Culture, Society and Law. You may click here for more information on the scope of Sexuality Education in the school curriculum.

6.The values and attitudes of our youth towards sexuality are increasingly shaped by their peers, exposure to the media, popular culture and the internet. Adolescence is a complex stage in life as the adolescent attempts to find his/her own identity and often struggles with new social relationships. The period of middle adolescence (generally from 15 – 17 years old) can be a turbulent period for adolescents. The gap between physical and emotional/cognitive maturity may result in a tendency to act on impulse, experiment with various activities (including sexual activities), sometimes without understanding the unpleasant consequences that may arise from such experimentation. The need for peer acceptance can be overwhelmingly strong, and hinder one’s ability to act responsibly. Given the pressures faced by the middle adolescent from within themselves and from peers, it is important to build a strong sense of self-worth, personal conviction and an understanding of the possible consequences of sexual behaviour.

7.Through “The Teenage Years” and “Sense & Sexuality” packages, secondary students will have the opportunity to develop a positive self-esteem, develop their character, and expand their understanding and repertoire of skills to deal with various issues related to sexuality, which are of prime concern at this age.

At ADMIRALTY SECONDARY SCHOOL, the following lessons from the Growing Years Programme will be taught in 2018:

Secondary 1

UNIT

LESSONS / DURATION

Lesson Objectives

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

TIME PERIOD

(e.g. Term 1 Week 2)

The Real Self

(Part 1)

1

(60 mins)

know how one’s perception of his body is linked to personal experiences and the sources of information that are taken in

recognise that one’s self-perception is influenced by his perception of his body

know strategies to develop healthy/positive perception of one’s body.

Term 1 Week 10

Lessons about Love (Part 1)

2

(60 mins)

recognise the importance of cultivating friendships with members of the same and opposite sex

recognise what constitutes healthy and unhealthy relationships

recognise the influence of peers on oneself and one’s value system

distinguish between various types of love

know that the underlying value for healthy relationships is respect

Term 1 Week 10

3

(60 mins)

recognise the importance of developing a friendship before committing to a romantic relationship

recognise what dating involves

know the different levels of physical intimacy in a relationship

know that certain public displays of affection are not considered appropriate behaviour in our society

recognise that it is important to seek their family’s views, beliefs and expectations with regard to dating and romantic relationships in teenage years

Term 1 Week 10

“Familiar” Strangers Alert

(Part 1)

4

(60 mins)

reflect on the reasons for people to use social networking sites to make friends or to engage their existing friends

know the usefulness and dangers of making friends over social networking platforms

recognise that the media can influence the way people think, feel and behave

identify ways to protect themselves from negative influences from the media

Term 2 Week 1

5 – Part 1

(30 mins)

know the physiological, psychological and social impact of sexual abuse on the individual

recognise the provision of Singapore laws that serves to protect teenagers from sexual perpetrators and persecute those who have committed such crimes

identify sources to seek help and support

Term 2 Week 1

5 – Part 2

Main Task

(30 mins)

Description of the Main Task:

Students are to work on the main task in groups of 4 or 5

Groups will describe how the media can influence relationships (with self, peers, and the opposite sex)

Groups can choose to present this in the form of a song, short 1-min video, rap, poster or any other preferred mode

To assess learning, teachers may want students to submit a short write up to describe their work or a personal reflection after the main task.

Term 2 Week 1

Secondary 2

UNIT

LESSONS / DURATION

Lesson Objectives

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

TIME PERIOD

(e.g. Term 1 Week 2)

Lessons about Love (Part 2)

6

(60 mins)

identify why relationships break down

identify the emotions that accompany the breakdown of a relationship

know healthy ways of coping with rejections and breakups

recognise the need to be respectful and responsible in ending a relationship

know ways to seek support when going through a breakdown of relationship and offer support for those going through the same

Term 2 Week 2

7

(60 mins)

&

8 – Part 1

(30 mins)

recognise the sources of temptation and situations that lead to pre-marital sex

resist pressure to engage in sexual activities

know the consequences of engaging in pre-marital sex

recognise that respect and responsible decision making are important in relationships

recognise the value of sexual abstinence

identify sources to seek help and support when faced with teenage pregnancy

Term 2 Week 2

8 – Part 2

Main Task

(30 mins)

Description of the Main Task:

In groups, students will choose 1 out of 3 given scenarios.

Through the chosen scenario, students will share

the consequences of pre-marital sex

the value of abstinence before marriage

skills to say ‘no’ to temptations or pressure to have sex

Depending on the scenario chosen, groups can present the above through a short skit / presentation, song lyrics/ poem, or a comic strip / poster, or other preferred modes.

At the end of all the presentations, students are to assess and reflect upon their own learning using a reflection form.

Term 2 Week 2

At the Crossroads

(Part 1)

9

(60 mins)

describe what pornography is, and why people view pornographic materials

examine the effects of pornography on self and others

know what masturbation is, and its relation to pornography

recognise the harmful consequences of excessive masturbation

recognise that they are able to make responsible decisions to manage their sexual desires

know appropriate sources to obtain accurate information about sex

Term 2 Week 10

10

(60 mins)

know/define what gender role is

know the influence of family, culture and society on one’s perception of his/her gender role

appreciate/ affirm one’s own unique qualities and characteristics as a male or female.

know/define what sexual orientation (heterosexuality and homosexuality) is

recognise the need to treat people with respect regardless of their sexual orientation

Term 2 Week 10

Secondary 3

UNIT

LESSONS / DURATION

Lesson Objectives

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

TIME PERIOD

(e.g. Term 1 Week 2)

Lessons

about

Love

(Part 3)

1

(60 mins)

recognise what constitutes responsible dating

evaluate if a dating relationship is healthy or unhealthy

demonstrate competencies in managing emotions in dating and romantic relationships

Term 3 Week 10

2

(60 mins)

recognise differences in perspectives of dating and romantic relationships

evaluate one’s readiness for romantic relationships

recognise challenges that occur in the context of a relationship

examine how our response to emotions can affect relationships positively or negatively

Term 3 Week 10

3

(60 mins)

recognise the different levels of physical intimacy in a relationship

know the progressive nature of actions that lead to sexual arousal and intercourse

recognise that one may unintentionally invite sexual intimacy through one’s verbal and non-verbal behaviour

Term 3 Week 10

4

(60 mins)

evaluate the norms of acceptability for public display of affection

recognise how new media has shaped public perception of acceptability of public display of affection

identify the strengths and limitations of new media in allowing people to develop serious relationships

recognise how new media has influenced relationship building both positively and negatively

appreciate the value of face-to-face relationships

Term 4 Week 1

The Real

Self

(Part 2)

5 – Part 1

(30 mins)

recognise the importance of having healthy self-esteem that is not affected by external influences

evaluate views towards self and others, with regard to gender differences and stereotypes

Term 3 Week 3

Lessons

about

Love

(Part 4b)

9

(60 mins)

recognise that commitment is a necessary ingredient for success in a marriage

identify responsibilities involved and the challenges faced in marriages

Term 4 Week 3

NA

10

(60 mins)

Description of the Main Task:

This main task will capture the culmination of learning in Secondary 4 level.

Students are to work on the main task in groups of 4 or 5.

Each group is to take on a topic of interest from the following: rejections and broken relationships, pornography, gender identity or marriage, cohabitation and divorce.

Groups can share their learning for the chosen topic in the form of a debate, a mini-teach, the depiction and discussion of case scenarios, a discussion of consequences that follows after the viewing of a video or a live-chat, or any preferred mode.

At the end of all the presentations, students are to assess and reflect upon their own learning using a reflection form.

Teacher to round up by summarizing key learning outcomes for each topic, emphasizing on the key values and attitudes

Term 4 Week 3

Secondary 5

UNIT

LESSONS / DURATION

Lesson Objectives

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

TIME PERIOD

(e.g. Term 1 Week 2)

Lessons

about

Love

(Part 5)

1

(60 mins)

reflect on the qualities of a healthy romantic relationship

evaluate one’s readiness for a romantic relationship, leading to marriage

recognise that intimacy in a relationship need not be limited to physical intimacy

recognise that break ups can allow one to understand oneself better

Term 4 Week 3

NA

2

(60 mins)

Description of the Main Task:

Teacher can conduct a dialogue session with the class and engage in a discussion on the following:

My ideal life partner

My future (How do they envision their future to be like – in terms of their career, family etc.)

Potential obstacles (What are the potential incidents that may prevent them from reaching their life goals? – distraction from studies, break ups, teenage pregnancy etc.)

My pillars of support (identify the pillars of support they can have to guide them to the desired future)

The purpose of this dialogue session is to surface some of the values that students may have with regard to relationships. Where appropriate, teachers could provide relevant feedback to guide students.

Teachers can make use of different methods to check students’ understanding, eithr by asking them to sketch or jot down a few points on a personal whiteboard or post-its.

After the dialogue session, students are to assess and reflect upon their own learning using a reflection form.

Term 4 Week 3

eTeens Programme:

8.eTeens is a programme developed by Health Promotion Board, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, for Secondary 3 students to provide them with accurate information on STIs, HIV and protection from a health perspective. eTeens is conducted in two segments – a mass talk segment and a classroom-based programme.

9.Students are taught skills such as decision-making, assertiveness and negotiation to say “no” to sex and negative peer pressure. They also learn that the impact of STIs/HIV extends beyond themselves and involves their family. Abstinence and upholding family values are the key messages. The desired outcome of the eTeens programme is that students are empowered to make wise, informed and sensible decisions.

At ADMIRALTY Secondary School, the eTeens programme will be implemented as follows in 2018:

Topics/Lessons

Programme Learning Objectives

Time Period

(e.g Term 2 Week 9)

Mass Talk by HPB appointed vendor

Awareness of the different STIs and HIV/AIDS

Modes of transmission

Modes of protection, specifically on how the condom is used

Consequences and impact of STIs/HIV

Term 3 Week 10

Classroom-based Lesson

Learn to negotiate their way out of a risky situation by applying skills of assertiveness and responsible decision-making

Term 3 Week 10

Information for Parents

10.Parents may opt their children out of Growing Years, eTeens and/or supplementary sexuality education programmes by MOE-approved external providers.

11.Parents who wish to opt their children out of the Growing Years (GY) programme need to complete an opt-out form. This form is downloadable here. A hardcopy of the form, duly completed and signed, is to be submitted to the school office by 16th February 2018.

12.Parents who wish to opt their children out of the eTeens programme need to complete an opt-out form. This form is downloadable here. A hardcopy of the form, duly completed and signed, is to be submitted to the school office by 28th February 2018.

13.Parents can contact the school at Tel: 6365 1733 or admiralty_ss@moe.edu.sg for discussion or to seek clarification about the school’s sexuality education programme.

14.Parents, who wish to attend the school sexuality education programmes, should contact the school to make the necessary arrangements.